


Science and Progress

by wumpusandzandii



Series: Science and Progress [1]
Category: TMNT - Fandom, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Bay Movies), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Donnie/Lily, F/M, Good Parent Splinter (TMNT), Human Donatello, Human Leonardo (TMNT), Human Michelangelo (TMNT), Human Raphael, Human Splinter, Human Turtles (TMNT), Human/Turtle Relationships (TMNT), hamato yoshi - splinter, science and progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-30
Updated: 2019-01-31
Packaged: 2019-10-19 14:39:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17603243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wumpusandzandii/pseuds/wumpusandzandii
Summary: Donnie is fed up with his brothers nonstop cacophony and storms out of the lair in search of quieter prospects. Between shelves of books, he finds Lily, and they immediately hit it off. Can they both deal with feeling awkward but unable to resist the other?





	1. Silver Linings

Being part of a large family was a blessing and a curse. Everyone seems to fill a roll, and the family rolls on like a machine, sometimes well-oiled, sometimes like a train wreck, depending on the day. When that roll is the one that has family members asking for help, whether it be answering questions or fixing things, the feeling is amplified. There is a sense of validation with being able to help, to sometimes have answers to problems before they even became an issue. On the flip side of that coin, it can mean that simple problems easily solved by common sense or a quick Google search are often presented, and pile up over time.

Such was Donatello’s day, and it wasn’t even noon yet. Their morning training had been over for a while, but there were still hours to go before their afternoon classes. Splinter had left on one of his walks, and the home situation had devolved quickly thereafter. All he wanted to do was sit at his computers and get some research done on possible upgrades to his holo, but it was nearly impossible with his brothers in the same space. Leo and Raph were arguing, which was not at all a shocking surprise, but certainly a weary annoyance. Mikey had taken the opportunity to play his video games at full volume without his headphones on so he “could still talk to everyone,” which, with the other two bickering, meant talking to *him*. He tried keeping his headphones on to tune it all out, but Mikey had started throwing things when he didn’t answer, so the headphones only caused more trouble than they were worth.

“You’re missing the entire point, we need you here more,” Leo tried to reason, his voice as strained as his patience.

“Jesus Christ, Leo, I’m a phone call away. I have my gear, it’s not that far,” Raph snapped back loudly. “I’m not a fuckin’ kid.”

“I’m not saying you are! I’m saying we need you here, ready to go, just in case. It made sense while Stacey was healing up, but she’s in her new place and Donnie has it all set up. It’s been months. It’s time to get back to normal,” Leo argued, and Donnie winced to himself. He’d been waiting for that bomb to drop their entire argument, and there it was. If there was one surefire way to set Raph off ever, it was to bring her up in any kind of negative aspect. Surely Leo knew that, had to have known it wouldn’t gain him any ground, so he wasn’t sure why he took that route.

“Maybe it is my new normal,” Raph hissed, his voice lowering to dangerous levels.

“Hey Donnie,” Mikey piped up over the loud crashing and sound effects of his game. “Do you know if there are any new texture packs or skins I can add to this? Like, it’d be totally awesome if I could put a different skin over the boss, make killing him funny. Like a Kardashian, boom, the lips explode or something.”

Pinching the bridge of his nose and resting his elbows against the desk, Donnie sighed heavily. “I don’t know, Mikey,” he said in a long suffering tone. “Why don’t you look it up?”

“Because you’re right therrrre,” he begged, looking over the back of the couch with a pout and batting his eyes. “Hey, maybe you could show me how to do it? Then we could make a Shredder skin or something, crush his helmet against his crotch.”

Donnie couldn’t think of much else he’d have less patience for right at that moment, than trying to teach Mikey how to code, let alone create skins. “It’s not quite that simple-”

“I’m gonna spend as much time as I damn well please with her, and there ain’t a damn thing you can do about it! You ain’t the boss of my life!”

“No, but I am the leader of this time, and not having you available puts everyone else at increased risk and responsibility, just so can go sleep with-”

“Don’t you dare fuckin’ finish that sentence, Leo, or I’m gonna finish it for you.”

“If it’s not that simple, maybe you could just do it for me? I could totally write a list of people or characters that it would be be cool to have skins of, and then you could just bleep bloop do your thing, no trouble!”

“Mikey, I have more important things to do-”

“Is that a threat?” Leo snarled.

“If it needs to be.”

“What could be more important than creating a Kraang mega boss that I could shoot to pieces? I mean, just think about the glory and beauty of it!”

“Fucking Merlin’s beard!” Donnie cursed, shoving his rolling chair back away from his desk and lurching up onto his feet. “What the hell is wrong with all of you? Can’t you just be normal or at the very least *quiet* for five damn minutes? I understand the hashi now, and why dad leaves to go walk by himself. I used to think it was for reflection and meditation, but it’s gotta be to GET AWAY FROM YOU!”

Storming into his room, he grabbed up his messenger bag, stuffed his laptop into it angrily. Pulling on the first hoodie he found, he slung the bag on and marched out of his room, straight towards the door. The room had fallen silent, he noted with sardonic irony.

“Hey, where are you going?” Mikey asked, sounding a little hurt.

“To the library, where they *force* people to be quiet!” he snapped, slamming the door behind him.

Forgoing any public form of transportation, Donnie decided to walk to the library. It was a decent distance away, but not so much to be excessive. In any case, he figured giving himself time to cool off before he got there was probably a good idea. It was difficult to focus when he was that agitated, and it would simply ruin the entire reason he was leaving in the first place. In further thought, he figured it was probably a good thing to get out, it might give him a different perspective on ideas than usual. The fresh air certainly didn’t hurt anything, either.

Upon arriving, he skipped up the steps, feeling lighter already than he had upon leaving. It had been far too long since he’d been in the library, perused the shelves, let the scent of the pages and old leather bindings suffuse his senses. Walking a little taller as he pushed through the front doors, instantly feeling the atmosphere change for the better. He couldn’t help but smile to himself, taking a deep relieving breath and wandering off to check the shelves.

Time could either stand still in the library or pass by a shooting star, quickly disappearing if oblivious to the large grandfather clock at the top of the stairs. Nearly using all of her spare time to be there, it was slowly becoming a second home, along with the lecture halls and computer labs at the university. Her own bed now a little foreign as she rarely had time to spare even on sleeping. 

Surrounded by folders and books, countless scrap pieces of paper and notebooks, Lily busied herself away with her coursework. Chasing the always just out of reach dream to be a veterinarian, she found herself chasing her tail to catch up, especially after joining the semester late due to moving. New York was the city of dreams, or so she was told, and moving there had been a huge decision. One she was hoping she wouldn’t regret. 

Finding her groove that day while listening to music quietly in her headphones, her focus solely on her work, she happily bobbed away in her seat. Her bright red hair bounced against her shoulders, loosely sectioned into pigtails with ribbon that matched her pale grey cardigan. It wasn’t a cold day, but the large hall had a chill running through it, meaning wearing just a dress was a poor idea and needed something across her shoulders to keep the chill off her pale skin.  
Being a frequent visitor as of late, Lily could happily leave her stuff unattended on the table knowing the staff flitting around amongst the endless rows of bookshelves would keep an eye on it for her. 

Tapping her pen against her hand, she pulled the cap off the end and clicked it back on, doing so in time with the beat before sitting back. Adjusting her glasses with a gentle push of her fingertips, she nodded to herself, happy with what she had just written before moving to stand up. 

Thankful her mother was a seamstress, she plopped her phone into her skirt pocket, neatening the frills before pushing her chair in, careful not to make any noise since she couldn’t fully hear herself with headphones on. Checking her notes again quickly, she tottered off into the maze of shelves, beginning her hunt for a specific unit in the science section.   
Luckily she knew the cover of the book well, but that didn’t stop it being a grande task, especially at her height. Even the slight heel on her shoes didn’t give her much advantage. Pouting she regretted putting the book away earlier, knowing it was likely put back on a higher shelf, making it even harder for her to find.

As Donnie perused for books, a few texts already beneath his arm, he found himself with company in the next aisle. Well over a foot shorter than himself, especially once he noted the high heels that were lifted off the floor as she ran a finger over bindings well over her head, he could tell she was having some difficulty. He walked up slowly, just in case she didn’t notice him with her headphones in. Her red hair bobbed against her shoulders as she dropped back down onto her heels, hands on her hips as she sighed heavily. A bright, open, kind face greeted him as she started to look around, and he gave her a little finger wave before pointing up at the shelves above her hesitantly.

Tugging out her earbuds, she fussed with stuffing them into a skirt pocket before looking back up at him shyly. “I’m so sorry to bother you, but would you mind helping me get a book?”

“Not at all,” he responded kindly, smiling softly. She was adorable, like a little pixie wandering the science shelves. It sounded like the beginning of a fantasy novel. “Which one are you looking for?”

“Oh thank you,” she sighed in relief, her nose crinkling her freckles as she thought. “It was ‘Germ-free Life and Gnotobiology.’ I’m so sorry to ask, you probably get that a lot, being so tall.”

“Oh, I don’t mind,” he admitted, for the first time that day feeling genuinely helpful and not simply convenient. Scanning the bindings, he quickly found it, scanning the cover before passing it down to her. “Are you doing research for laboratory work?”

“Oh no,” she answered, taking the book gently and hugging it against her chest. “I mean, thank you. But no, it’s a research paper for veterinary class. It’s looking over the way gnotobiotes are born, raised and taken care of in laboratory settings. Um, specifically how their immune systems are poor if they stay there, but some animals like pigs have better immune systems if they’re born in the germ-free environment and introduced to the outside environments. But oh my gosh. I’m so sorry, you probably didn’t need that much information just for pulling a book down. I get carried away.”

Chuckling a little, he couldn’t help but relate with her, and felt bad that she was apologizing for something he did himself on the daily. At the same time, the way she blushed made her even more cute. “I do that sometimes, too. Please don’t apologize, I actually find the topic very interesting. I’ve done some research on it myself.”

“Really?” she asked, her bright eyes going wide and seeming to light up. “What for?”

Realizing he hadn’t thought it through entirely, Donnie struggled with wondering if it would seem pretentious to admit ‘just because.’ Rubbing the back of his neck, he shrugged slightly, answering, “Personal research? I found another text that went into great detail, and wait, you know what? It was published more recently than that one, and it might have more relevant information for you.”

Hastily, he scanned the shelves, trying to remember where he had found it. “Ah!” he proclaimed, plucking off the shelf victoriously, bringing it back to her. “*Gnotobiotics*. They go into greater detail about inflammatory bowel diseases and intestinal immunity.”

“I didn’t know about this one, thank you,” she murmured, looking over it carefully, seemingly dwarfed by the two textbooks.

“If it’s useful! I’m not sure. I just remembered it,” Donnie stammered, suddenly feeling self-conscious. “If not, I can just stick it back up for you.”

Getting caught in trying to memorize the name of the author, she turned back up to him with wide eyes before hugging the book to herself. “Oh no no! I’ll definitely look at it too! Just so many names and words to remember now...” she chirped, adjusting the rather large books in her delicate hands. “The more the merrier I guess!” she added, swaying a little as she did, trying not to seem awkward but making herself look even more so by doing so. 

Catching the way he looked down at her, an endearing smile on his lips, she looked down at her feet. “Thank you. Sorry again for distracting you from your browsing.” Knowing her pale skin was igniting into a deep blush, she wanted to just hide away in her coursework again but couldn’t move her feet that were now cemented to the floor. 

“It’s really no trouble, honest, I haven’t even gotten an idea as to what I’m looking for myself yet.”

Not knowing how to excuse herself without seeming rude or just plain weird, she stammered, trying to think of something. As much as running out of any form of social interaction was her usual, keeping occupied with research and studying, something about the kindness and warmth in his eyes made her want to try. Maybe actually talking to someone and making friends wouldn’t be so bad. It’d be a welcome distraction. Maybe he could even help her. 

“Uhm...are you a student too?” Glancing at his bag and noticing he had some books in his hands, Lily couldn’t help but wonder now his reasoning for being there, if he had said he hadn’t an idea for something to read. Maybe it was just for personal enjoyment, maybe he was studying something similar to her. The thought of having someone to study with brought a smile to her lips again, her cheeks a rosy red that nearly matched her hair as she politely awaited his answer.

“No, not exactly,” he answered with a nervous chuckle. Looking at the books around him, he wondered if maybe he had found what he needed to after all. Talking to someone outside of his family, actually face to face couldn’t hurt anything. After all, he’d already done a decent amount of research on the topic she was studying, maybe he could help out, or at least give her someone to bounce ideas off of. If that was even something she was looking for, and not just a way out of an awkward conversation. “I do a lot of freelance work, for various people and companies. It never hurts to keep up to date on research and well… I guess it kinda makes me sound like a horrible nerd, but I actually enjoy it.”

Smiling up at him through her eyelashes, she shook her head. “No, I don’t think that makes you a horrible nerd at all!” she assured him, rocking back on her heels. “Maybe just a very good one?”

Laughing, he ran a hand through his hair, gesturing back at the books in her arms. “Well, I already did a fair amount of that research, maybe I could save you some time? If you want. If you prefer to do your studying in private, I completely understand that.”

“I would *love* some help,” she answered, her shoulders sagging a little with visible relief. “I’ve just been swamped with this course load. I feel like I’m always playing catch up, you know?”

“I think that’s the nature of research, to be frank. Do you already have your stuff set up, or should we find somewhere suitable?”

“Just over here, I left my things. Thank you so much for offering to help… I’m so sorry, I think I forgot to get your name?”

Holding out his hand, he grasped hers in a delicate handshake, surprised at just how tiny it was against his own. “Donatello,” he offered, tipping his head down towards her in a semi-bow, for some reason feeling it was the thing to do. “And to whom do I have the pleasure of meeting?”

“Lilian, but please call me Lily, I don’t like my grandma sounding name.” Giggling as she attempted to give his hand a firm squeeze, she managed to give him eye contact for more than just a few seconds this time. 

Tilting her head at him once she took back her hand, needing it to support the large books against her chest, she hummed in thought, narrowing her eyes a little. “Donatello? Like after the Italian artist? Well, of course...I mean there aren’t many Donatello’s..” Giggling again to herself, she grinned up at him, delighted by the sound of him giggling with her.

“Well, you’re not wrong. Yes, I am named after him, shame I don’t have the artist talent to go with it.” 

Unable to stop herself from smiling up at him, she was losing track of time, forgetting almost about the books she held in her dainty arms or why she was even in the science section anymore. “We can’t have it all, I’m sure you’re talented with something else instead, maybe you’re a master at chess? Who knows!”

Hearing him snort as he laughed was the highlight of her day, her week, her entire year. Her own laugh went higher, joining him until he had to push up his glasses on to his nose. If it wasn’t for the sharp ‘shh’ that came from behind her, Lily would have worked on another way to make him laugh, entirely enamoured with his smile and the light flush of pink across his cheeks and nose. 

Jolting a little, she spun around to see the head Librarian, an elderly lady sat at the front desk, scowling at her. “Lilian, this is the first time I’ve ever had to ask you this, but please be quiet. Take your friend and giggle somewhere else.” Lowering her head a little in shame, she mouthed a sorry silently at the lady. Luckily she didn’t take it to heart, smiling and shaking her head at the two of them before waving them off. 

Getting to know Lily since she visited so often, the Librarian learnt that she must have not had many friends, or any given the amount of times she saw her reading and working alone. It brought warmth to her heart seeing her with someone, especially a boy similar to her age and clearly with similar interests. Chuckling softly to herself, she made sure to keep an eye on the two of them, curious to see if anything developed of it.

Motioning for Donnie to follow her, she lead him back over to her spot at the large oak tables, gesturing for him to sit at the head just across from her. Careful not to let the books drop heavily against the tabletop, she winced as she sat down, neatening her skirt out before looking over to him like a scolded puppy. “I’m so sorry about that, I’m so embarrassed...such a bad first impression….I promise I’m not a troublemaker..” she whispered, leaning in as she spoke so she was sure he could hear her.

Sitting down after she had seated herself, he waved her off with a smile, swinging his bag into the chair on the other side of himself. She was such a genuine breath of fresh air after his brothers, and their genuine trouble making. It was hard to believe she was genuinely as adorable and sweet as she was, especially in a city like New York that seemed to churn out hard people, people born in trenches and always ready for a fight. “Don’t be embarrassed, it’s been a long time since I got clucked at by a librarian, usually for arguing out loud with a book.”

Covering her mouth as she giggled, he felt himself beaming. Talking with people in general had never been his forte, let alone women, but something about her made it easy. He felt like an entirely different person sitting there with her, and yet more himself than he could remember feeling in a long time. Even with his family, he always felt like the odd man out, his sense of humor awkward and often not understood or appreciated by his brothers. 

Quietly, she angled her syllabus towards him along with her notes, written neatly in small, precise cursive. She explained the current assignment requirements, occasionally smoothing her skirt as she talked. Her organization skills were impressive, and she clearly had a solid grasp on the work. To be honest, he sincerely doubted she honestly needed the help, and was likely more of an overachiever like himself, never content with “good enough” and wanting to put forth the best quality possible. He went through it with her, making sure to point out that she had much of the important information already, and flipping through the texts to show her what she still needed. She had few questions, following along readily, and the questions that she did have were clever and insightful.

“I think you’re going to be an incredible veterinarian,” he admitted once they had gotten through a large section of her work. He wasn’t even sure how much time had passed, and for once, he had no inclination to check. “You seem very empathic and you understand the work well. Are you from around here? I can’t say you’re like any native New Yorker I’ve ever met.”

Smiling sweetly at his compliment, Lily looked down at her notepad, bashfully tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear as she did. “Thank you, that means a lot…” Still adorning a rosy complexion due to his presence and encouraging nature, she felt that maybe he’d just assume she was always that pink in the cheek, given she hadn’t stopped blushing the entire time she had met him. Maybe it was just the colour of her hair making it stand out more. 

At his question of her origin, she rose her head and grinned happily. Shaking her head, she tamed a giggle, still aware of how much noise she was making. “No, actually, I recently moved here a few months ago from Canada. I used to live in Denmark, when I was young - my family is from there. Hence the uhm….red hair…” Rocking side to side, making her hair bounce on her shoulders a little, she mimicked his amused grin.

“My dad works for a company that’s very demanding, moves us around a lot. I had to hold off university for a while because of it, so as always, I’m playing catch up. It’s probably why I don’t have many friends either...” Laughing awkwardly, trailing it off to try and stop her smile fading but failed when she added, “Or any friends for that matter. I keep to myself a lot.”

Tapping her pen against her papers, she shook her head a little after a short pause before looking up at him, forcing back on her smile. “How about you? Hailing from Italy?” Giggling, she gently poked at his arm with the capped end, hoping she hadn’t dropped the mood.

Looking down at the pen she had poked him with, he considered what she had said. How many times had his family harassed him for not having enough friends, not getting out enough? Not that he minded keeping to himself, but he just couldn’t imagine someone as bright and cheerful as herself, alone. “I’m not nearly as interesting,” he chuckled with a shrug. “New York, born and raised… raised by my adoptive father, though. My biological parents died in a car accident while I was still in utero, and he was to have been my godfather.”

“Oh my gosh,” she gasped, putting a dainty hand over her mouth in shock. She looked genuinely upset about it, and he had a brief moment of regret of being so upfront about it. He simply viewed it as a fact, having come to terms with it when he was quite young and insisted his father tell him. It hadn’t taken long for him to understand that he and his brothers, especially Raph and Mikey, were not biologically related. “I’m so sorry.”

“Please, don’t be sorry, it’s entirely okay. I was raised in a loving, nurturing environment,” he explained, pushing up his glasses. “I have three brothers, they’re all adopted as well. It’s chaotic sometimes, but that’s family, right?”

“I guess so,” she agreed, her cheeks continuing to be as pink as ever as she shuffled papers around nervously. “I think you’re probably a lot more interesting than you think you are.”

It was his turn to blush again, running his hands through his hair. He was so used to people telling him to shorten whatever he had to say, to make it “English” or simply ignoring that he even existed that the thought was foreign. It was so rarely that he genuinely connected with people, and when he did, it always seemed to be a professor or scientist across the country or even out of the country, their conversations strictly through the digital realm.

“Well,” he said slowly, leaning forward against the table. “I can’t imagine you being a loner or keeping to yourself.”

Slowly packing away her papers, tucking them neatly inside her notepad and marking pages with sticky notes in her newly acquired research books, Lily listened to him intently. Glancing over at him, she smiled, although it’s cheerful glow had faded a little. 

“Unfortunately, it’s the truth. I don’t get out much, because of work but...mostly I just choose not to..” she started quietly, not so much from needing to be but more she felt a little down about it, realising how sad it must sound. “I’m not one for going out, drinking or otherwise, the only place other than here or my dorm room is a Starbucks, maybe.” 

Closing up her last book after putting her pens away into her bag with the rest of her equipment, she sat neatly up right, perking up again with a bright smile. “Heh, speaking of ...let me buy you a coffee or something? As a thank you for helping me and putting up with me nattering at you for so long...and as a sorry for getting us hushed at.” 

Shuffling her seat backwards, she stood up, making sure all of her skirt was down and not tucked up in anyway. Shouldering her satchel, brushing her hair away from the strap before taking the full weight of it, wincing a little even when she prepared herself for it. Her mother had always told her if her hair was any longer, she’d fall over, too frail and delicate to carry her own weight sometimes. It didn’t help that Donnie dwarfed her even more.

“Oh, no no, there’s no need for that. I appreciate the offer but-” 

“Actually! I changed my mind. I’m buying you a coffee and you can’t say no.” Once he was stood up, she made sure to give him the most stern look she could, but stuck her tongue out when he looked a little taken back by her order. As his lips curved into a smile, chuckling a little, she had to drop her eyes, looking down at her feet bashfully. “I-I mean...that’s if you’re not….uhm….busy...or want to, that is…” 

The sudden surge of confidence she had to tell him what she wanted to do disappeared as quickly as it appeared. He simultaneously gave her confidence and took her breath away, unable to think of a coherent sentence while also giving her all the words under the sun to speak with.

“I’d love to,” he admitted earnestly, hopelessly smiling at how incredibly adorable she was. There wasn’t a fiber in his being that would’ve been able to say no to her, even if he had wanted to. He almost felt grateful for his brothers being so annoying that they drove him from his normally hermit-like behaviors to get out of the house. “But just because I’m enjoying your company, not because I agree that you owe me any kind of thanks or apologies, because you most certainly do not.”

Nodding, she smiled up at him while she fidgeted with the strap of her bag. He wished he was quicker, more smooth like his brothers with social behaviors, especially with women, and would’ve offered to take the bag that must’ve been heavy on her tiny frame. At the same time, he didn’t want to insult her by having her take it off to hand to him, just in case. “I suppose that’s fair enough,” she answered, leading the way out of the library. “Is there a particular place you enjoy?”

Laughing as he held the front door open for her, he shook his head, squinting at the bright sunlight after the muted tones of the library. “My brothers say I’d hook myself up to an IV drip of coffee if I had my way,” he answered, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his hoodie. “And they’re probably right. I pretty much live on the stuff, I don’t tend to be very picky about where it originates.”

“I’d probably hover off the ground if I had that much,” she giggled. He found himself enamored with the way her bright, doe-like eyes sparkled in the sunshine. “There’s a nice little shop just a couple of blocks down though, they have a lovely tea selection, too.”

“I will absolutely defer to your more refined judgement, then.” He listened carefully as she explained her favorite kinds of tea for different occasions or situations as they walked, cataloging the information in his mind for later use. If there was a later use, he reminded himself, keenly aware that he ventures into being social usually didn’t last, especially not when it was women. Still, he found himself hopeful with her, she was different in so many ways, and conversation with her was surprisingly easy. Not once had he noticed her eyes glazing over with boredom or confusion, or had she expressed any desire to end the conversation as quickly as possible to “get away.”

“Here we are!” she chirped, gesturing to the cozy little shop, and he took one long stride to move ahead of her just enough to get the door, gesturing for her to walk through. She giggled, giving him a little curtsy before leading the way in, the rich aroma of coffee swirling out into the air of sidewalk after her. 

***


	2. Coffee and Tea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Donnie and Lily get to know each other over coffee and tea, much to the delight of their barista.

There wasn’t a line at the shop, and he let her order first, before ordering himself the largest coffee possible. “Oh, that looks interesting,” he said, nodding over at a display of mugs just as the barista rung up their order. She looked over to see what he meant, and in the small moment of distraction, he handed his card over, paying for the drinks.

Spinning around to find what he was gesturing to, her hair lifting off her shoulders a little as she did, Lily tilted her head a little as she only saw the display of mugs. Maybe it was the way they were so evenly and neatly stacked, or the colour coordination, maybe even how they were arranged in sizes, starting from largest to small along the shelf. Maybe it was just something he genuinely found interesting? A quirk of his? Who was she to judge?

Turning back to him with a bright smile, pulling her purse from her pocket, her expression dropped a little as she met the eyes of the barista handing him a receipt. “Oh…” she softly murmured, looking between the two of them before focusing on Donnie. “I said I’d get you a coffee.” 

The barista chuckled quietly at her response, the fact she looked like a lost lamb now, holding her purse still in her hand as she pouted a little. Not that she could change it now, feeling the heat in her cheeks again as she watched him stow away his wallet. “You can get the next one?” Donnie smiled down at her, having absolutely no intention of letting her do so if the opportunity did arise.

Still keenly aware the barista was watching them, she brightened up her smile again, tucking a loose strand of her hair behind her ear bashfully. “Okay, thank you. But you didn’t have to.” 

“I know I didn’t have to, but I wanted to.” 

The lady behind the till let out a low coo of appreciation, her eyes soft as she watched the exchange, clearly assuming the two of them were a playfully bickering couple. Lily caught her expression in her peripherals and her blushing crept further along her skin, covering the entire of her freckled face. 

“I’ll bring your drinks over to you both, go grab a table together.” Flashing a wink over at Donnie, the bubbly woman scampered off to help prepare their drinks order, leaving him a little flustered, as well.

Finally finding the silence between them dangerously close to being awkward, Lily cleared her throat, gesturing for him to follow her to a table. Finding one tucked into an alcove, she dropped her heavy bag from her shoulder, letting out an audible grunt of relief before sitting down, neatly fluffing her skirt as she did. “I hope they don’t make my tea too hot,” she muttered, trying to move the conversation on before it got stuck in a rut. “I’m too delicate and sensitive...I don’t know how I’m gonna be a vet, hopefully I’ll be looking after the soft little animals.” She giggled nervously, still not fully recovered from the burning blush at the counter, her cheeks still rosy and bright like her hair. “Ahh, sorry, I probably talk about that too much.”

Settling in across from her and resting his bag down carefully, noting the burden her own had been, he folded his hands on top of the table. “No, not all,” he disagreed amiably, taking in her features in the softer lighting of the coffee shop. It really enhanced her red hair, which in turn made her eyes more vibrant. Spending time with her had him on a slippery slope to infatuation, and he found that it didn’t upset him in the least. “It’s actually a pleasant change from my norm, and I can see how passionate you are about it.”

The compliment had her blushing again, although he wasn’t entirely sure she had stopped blushing since they first started talking. It was adorable. She fidgeted with her hands in her lap, smiling as she looked back up at him. “Thank you… not many people understand it. Which is odd when you consider how many people have pets, so I think it must have something to do with me. I think they just can’t see *me* doing it.”

“I, for one, can, for what that matters.” Everything about her lifted his spirit, had him in a state of optimism he wasn’t accustomed to. She was a bright ray of sunshine in the black and white text of his mind. “I think you’ll be an incredible veterinarian.”

“That means a lot, actually.” Her smile was as bright as her eyes, her face so open and kind. 

“Here are your drinks,” the barista interrupted gently, setting them down in front of them with a broad smile. “You guys are just the cutest couple I’ve ever seen in here, I have to tell you.” 

“Oh my goodness,” Lily yelped, her skin rivaling the shade of red that her hair achieved. “We’re not, I mean he’s lovely and… but we…”

“We’ve only just met,” Donnie helped her answer, feeling a bit flushed at the assumption, but also complimented and bolstered at the same time. For once, his social interpretation of the situation wasn’t off, and they really did seem to have palpable chemistry. It was a huge relief that she didn’t seem appalled by the idea, either, and had even said he was “lovely.”

“Well, I never would’ve guessed!” the barista giggled, waving a hand downward in amusement. “Must be kismet with how you two get on, you’re simply too cute.” Flashing them a big smile, she whisked herself back to the front counter to help another customer.

The smile was infectious, Donnie was unable to keep himself from grinning just as widely as Lily lifted her cup, seeming to try and hide behind it. He liked the idea, kismet, even if it was scientifically irrelevant. There always seemed to be things that happened that he couldn’t explain, no matter how hard he tried, and in that one particular situation, he was more than happy to allow it to be something universally beyond him. Taking a long moment to blow on his hot coffee before sipping it in order to give her time to calm herself. 

“That was quite the compliment,” he offered, once she reached a healthier level of pink. “I’d have to say a gentleman would be awfully lucky to be out with a lady such as yourself. I mean, obviously I am, I’m just saying, as a couple. Not that I’m trying to insinuate! Just that you’re lovely, too.” It was his turn to elevate the pink in his skin and hide behind his cup. It had sounded some much smoother in his head.

Admiring the fact she wasn’t the only one now blushing, she looked down at her tea, unable to tame the smile stuck fast to her features. It was like her joy stopped her from speaking, making her cheeks ache a little, struggling so hard to find any words to show her appreciation. “Thank you,” she stammered, reaching a timid hand up to toy with the longer lengths of her fringe, keeping her eyes down to watch the swirling steam rising from her cup. “I think it’d be a huge honour, too. I uhm, I’ve never been on a date before…” Finally managing to flicker her eyes up to him, she noticed he paused in thought, considering what she had said, holding his own mug a little off the table as he stared in disbelief. 

“Really?” he sounded genuinely surprised, if a little saddened by the idea. “I can’t imagine a single reason as to why.” 

Pressing her arms in closer to herself, going back to watching her colourful tea, her mind trying to process quickly and think of a decent response. “I’ve just never been asked or uhm… they changed their minds. I guess.” Realising she was bringing down the mood, she perked her head up, smiling brightly to force down her growing fears of scaring him off with it. “Probably not animal lovers?” she giggled nervously, averting her eyes when she caught his eyes, gazing at her with a warm smile.

“Maybe they’re just blind, unable to comprehend someone as lovely as you.” 

Both a little surprised by the words that came out of his mouth, they dropped eye contact, Lily covering her face with her dainty hands to hide her embarrassment. Donnie took a large gulp of his coffee, ignoring the burn of his tongue, mostly needing to focus on something, anything, before he imploded. 

“Oh gosh, how are you-” cutting herself off with a soft giggle, she peeked through her fingers, only her laughter increasing as he look just as flustered as she did, ruffling a hand into his hair. “You’re too sweet, gosh… you don’t even know me, how could you possibly know?”

“I like to think I’m a good judge of character, and I haven’t been proven wrong just yet.” 

Neatening her skirt in her lap, adjusting her seated position, she sat up straight, willing herself to recover some composure before she looked to his eyes again. “Well, I hope I can live up to that assumption.” Smiling softly, she lifted her tea carefully in both hands, sipping at it while she continued to watch him with absolute adoration in her eyes.

Everything about him was perfect and she felt herself falling for a beautiful stranger. Someone she had only just met, yet feeling as though she had known him her entire life. He never missed a beat, so inquisitive and interested in anything and everything she had to say, his inviting eyes and kind smile, always welcoming her and not once did he seem bored. It made her heart flutter for what felt like the first time.

They talked for what seemed like hours and hours, the barista fawning over them from afar, checking in with them now and then, still refusing to believe they had only just met. She even asked her fellow staff, asking their opinion, discussing quietly amongst themselves about their origin, how they met and how long they had known each other. It was like watching a romantic film being played in front of them, the glow about the two of them enough to melt anyone’s heart. 

Letting their laughter calm to a natural stop between them, Lily sighed happily to herself, unable to tear her eyes away from him even after his cheesy science joke. While she finished her tea, now lukewarm due to being left by her talking, she watched him taking note of every detail. The way he waved his hands as he explained something, down to the way his eyes creased when he laughed, the simple way he pushed up his glasses and how he nervously tapped his leg when he became flustered. No one had ever made her feel that way.

Jumping a little, startled by the sound of his phone ringing, she placed a hand to her chest as he frantically pulled it out, cursing himself for having it on loud. “I’m so so sorry,” he muttered quickly, glancing at the staff who all seemed to giggle at his misfortune, his face a deep shade of red again. “Damn alarms.”

“It’s okay, I’m sorry too, I’ve probably kept you long enough. I dread to think what the time is.” 

Noticing he still had his phone in his hands, she bit her lip as she thought quickly, using the moment he was distracted to reach into her bag, pulling out a small pocket notebook, the design of which like something from a fairytale, covered in gold filigree and mimicking an old book. Finding a pen as well, she quickly yet neatly wrote down her phone number, along with her email and signed her name at the top in curly script, a small heart in the tail of the ‘y’. Tearing the page out carefully, she folded it once before sliding it over the table, perfectly slipping it beneath one of his hands. 

As he looked up curiously, she smiled, feeling the heat in her cheeks again, threatening to steal away her words again. “It’s my number, uhm… for… if you want to meet again?” Wincing a little at how jumbled her speech was, she cleared her throat, needing to drop her gaze before she continued. “I’d like to chat again sometime, you’re really sweet and… yeah.”

Running his fingers over her precise, gorgeous handwriting before picking up the piece of paper, he couldn’t help but beam at how incredibly endearing she was in every possible way. The only hand written notes he got were post it notes from his brothers asking for help with something computer involved, or the random “kick me” signs Mikey insisted on putting on his back while he was concentrating too hard to notice. Yet there was her name, along with her number and email, and even a heart in her “y.” Words escaped him, his eyes scanning it over and over, before he realized he really ought to respond before she got the wrong idea.

“I would love to, thank you,” he replied, gesturing for her book and pen politely. Any other journal wouldn’t have suited her, it was perfect for the pixie-like princess she was. Wishing his own, angular handwriting was more impressive, he wrote down his own information for her to have. “I apologize about the alarm, it was a bit abrupt. I have to set them because I get lost in research sometimes. If it was something I could put off, I gladly would to have more time with you.”

“I think I’ve probably taken enough of your time,” she answered meekly, her own eyes looking over his writing as he passed her the book and pen back. “Especially when all I asked for was help with a book that was out of reach.”

Laughing lightly, he bolstered himself to have the courage to reach out and put a hand gently on the back of hers. “You haven’t taken nearly enough of it yet, and I’ll remedy that as soon as humanly possible. I will take down every book off the tops shelves if that’s what it takes.” Her hand didn’t pull away from his, and her large eyes looked up at him, full of hope. He promised himself then and there not to ever disappoint her if he could at all manage it. “As for right now, I unfortunately need to head to work and try to help younger versions of myself have the courage to stand up for themselves and not get bullied. Not unfortunate that I need to show them, I enjoy teaching, just unfortunate that I have to leave. You know, I swear I’m usually more eloquent than this.”

Lily’s face lit up as she laughed, putting her other hand on top of his and giving it a delicate squeeze. “I completely understand. You’ll have to tell me all about it later?”

His heart hammered in his chest, finding it incredibly difficult to peel himself away. “Absolutely. I will. I have your info. To call. Or text. Or email. Do you have a preference? Because it’s no bother to me, I‘d just like to be able to-”

“Donatello,” she chided in amusement, her giggling like chiming bells. “You need to go to work. Any of them are just fine. Don’t be late!”

“Right,” he agreed, gathering up his bag and empty cup to throw away. “Right. Can I see you out? Are you taking the bus?”

“Always,” she answered, standing up with dignity and gracefully neatening her skirt. Darting around her quickly, more quickly than the average person was probably able due to his training, he managed to reach around her with one of his long arms and snag her bag with a finger, pulling it up to his own shoulder before stepping back around her. Her head snapped back and forth, hair bobbing as she tried to process what had just happened. “How on *earth* did you just do that?”

“Ninja,” he replied with a wink, saying it with just enough amusement to let her believe it was a joke. “Bag ninja. I’ll carry the load for you as long as I can until our paths diverge temporarily. If that’s okay with you, of course.”

With a tiny huff and more blushing, she nodded, straightening out her cardigan. “Please do, it makes me feel like a pack mule with all those books in it.”

“We certainly cannot have that,” Donnie said, meaning every word of it. As far as he was already concerned, she deserved to feel pampered and special, not the lost, forgotten or overlooked person she felt like she was. It was an abominable thought that anyone could treat her that way, and left him entirely perplexed as to how they possibly could. Leading the way out the door, both of them waving to the cheerful barista, they made it to the bus stop just as it pulled up. “After you, Miss Lily.”

Smiling brightly, she took back her bag and carefully shouldered it, taking note of the fact he seemed reluctant to do so and even winced a little when she swayed a little at the weight. “Thank you, Mr. Donatello,” she replied back whimsically, complete with a small curtsey. Her heart fluttered again at the sound of his laugh, giggling along with him as he shook his head and nudged his glasses up. 

“Please, just Donnie.” 

Tilting her head a little as she hummed, committing it to memory, she repeated it back to him softly. “Donnie, I’ll keep that in mind. It’s cute…and suits you..” 

His face lit up, his cheeks flushing a deep pink and suddenly she was thankful the bus door opened beside her, stopping her before she began to gush. Even if it was perfect timing, her heart still sunk in her chest, not wanting the wonderful afternoon to end so soon. “Well, I suppose I’ll possibly talk to you at a later date?” Lily chimed, peeling herself away the best she could as she stepped up onto the bus, looking over her shoulder to him, still not ready to stop looking at him just yet. 

“I hope so!” he called after her, a little more desperate than he meant to sound, glad she matched the same shade of red as his cheeks did in that moment.

“I do too, goodbye Donnie, and good luck with your work!” 

Too focused on him and a little oblivious as she wiggled her fingers in a small wave, an obnoxious woman cleared her throat behind her, clearly impatiently waiting for her to move on out of her way. Tottering off, she quickly found a window seat, holding her bag close to her side as she looked out the slightly fogged glass for him, scolding herself for being too eager to do so. 

As the bus moved off, she sighed contently, releasing she hadn’t stopped smiling entire time she had been with him. Her smile still stained her lips, her cheeks still a rosy pink from thinking about the idea of meeting up with him again. It was like one of her favourite novels, a love story in the making, and it stirred the butterflies in her stomach. 

Remembering she had coursework to continue with at home no longer felt like a huge burden, his encouragement and help with finding the extra reference material a god send that she so desperately needed. Part of her almost couldn’t wait to read the book he had shown her.  
Even if nothing came of it in the future, the few hours spent with him was enough to lift her spirits for the rest of the day.

Watching after the bus until it disappeared into the traffic, Donnie kept smiling despite himself, the image of her bright face shining through the fogged glass staying with him as he made his way home. He could’ve come up with a multitude of possibilities for what could’ve happened when he had left home, but meeting her wouldn’t have even been on his radar. Statistically speaking, using his own life as a basis up until that point, the odds were just low enough it hadn’t been worth considering. Of course, if Raph had managed to find someone, maybe his statistics were just off.

Snickering to himself at the thought as he pushed through the door, he found the dojo quieter than he had left it, no lingering arguing or videogames ringing off the walls. Leo happened to walk out into the hallway just as he made his way to his room, taking his younger brother in appraisingly. The lines on his forehead were creased with concern and surprise, unsure what to make of his remarkably different attitude.

“You seem… better?” Leo said, even though the end of his sentence lilted into a question. He was busy twisting wraps around his hands, his attention going back and forth between the two.

“Significantly,” Donnie answered with a smile, stepping into his room but leaving the door open, in too high spirits to shoo him away. Setting his bag down and hanging up his hoodie, all he could think to do was shrug and keep smiling at Leo, who had leaned against the doorframe to watch him curiously.

“But you don’t have any books.”

“Don’t I?” Blinking, Donnie looked around himself before coming to the same realization. He had been so caught up with Lily and everything about her, that any books that had held interest when he initially got there must have been left pushed aside on the table. “Huh. Interesting.”

“Interesting? Donnie, are you okay?” Leo’s face showed more concern than just okay, seeming more like he wanted to ask him if he was high. The truth was yes, just not in the way he was thinking, he just happened to be high on endorphins. 

“Never better. Turns out it was just what I needed.” Giving him a chipper grin as he grabbed his things for training and walked past him through the door, he decided as much as he wanted everyone to know what an amazing person he had met, it was something he was going to keep to himself for a while. Something he could think about when they were busy being obnoxious and he needed a mental escape. He liked the thought and carried himself smugly to the training rooms.

“Maybe I need to try to the library…” Leo muttered, following him along, even more surprised than he had been, but without any answers.

***


	3. Chapter 3

That evening, Donnie found his thoughts still entirely wrapped up in Lily. Sitting at his computers, he was in an internal battle with himself, however. It wasn’t about whether to contact her or not, like he thought he might struggle with, but with looking her up. He hadn’t gotten her last name, but he knew that he knew enough to find her and look into her past without it. He’d done more with less.

Setting his glasses on the table, he rubbed his face and ran his hands through his hair, undoubtedly causing it to be a mess. He remembered looking up Stacey after the first night they had discovered Raph had been seeing her and had gotten injured badly. It had seemed very practical at the time, they needed to know if they could trust her enough to let her “into the fold,” as it were. The practical truth was, if he was being honest with himself, that it had colored his opinion of her for a while. It lead him to making assumptions about how or who she might be after the past abuse she had been through, and that was just what was documented for him to find. He had been displeased to find that she hadn’t even graduated high school, but gotten her GED, but he hadn’t known why. He hadn’t had the knowledge about her actually being fairly book smart and mechanically inclined to balance the information out. His outlook hadn’t caused any kind of lasting damage, but he did regret it.

Regrets were one thing he didn’t want with Lily, even having just met her. Already able to see what a remarkable person she was, just a genuinely good person, and knowing that she didn’t have the support system a person like her needed with friends, made him feel protective and even chivalrous. She deserved the utmost respect from him, and that meant respecting her privacy and letting her tell him about herself on her own terms. Something about her pixie-like personality made him feel very traditional, as well, feeling like he needed to get to know her that way, just like she had written her information down on paper.

Putting his glasses back on, he traced his fingers over the paper in front of him, following her pretty lettering. He wouldn’t look her up. He wouldn’t even text her, not the first time. She deserved better than that. She deserved a phone call, actual communication. Picking up his phone, he entered her information into his contacts, taking a picture of how she had written her name as the image, until he could hopefully get one of her face. 

Raph and Leo were out on patrol, Mikey was MIA, but he still decided to go into his room, closing the door behind himself to have as much privacy as possible. Taking a deep breath and dialing, convinced he would simply get her voicemail if he was lucky, he held his breath as it rang.

The journey back to Lily's dorm wasn’t too long, but long enough for her drift off in her own daydream and nearly miss her stop. Rushing off of the bus, carrying her bag in her arms rather than on her shoulder again, she prayed she hadn’t forgotten anything in the rush. Managing to peek into her bag as she quickly navigated her way to her dorm block, she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw her precious notebook. It held more value now, having his number inside, making her want to clutch it to her chest. Guard it with her life. 

Juggling the awkward and heavy bag in her arms, attempting to unlock her door without aid, she whined, losing the battle to keep the bag upright. Yelping as the weight of the books tipped forward, she lunged forward and managed to pin them between her hip and the door, thankful they hadn’t completely toppled out. It made her realise how weak she was, especially after watching Donnie pulled them off of the shelf as if they had no weight, as if they were just small paperbacks. It made her miss him even more, just so he could easily carrying things for her, or just carry her. Whisk her off her feet and take her away, away from her course work and university, away from the busy streets of New York to somewhere serene.

The thought almost had her fall through the door, the shock of falling a little from where she had been leaning against it snapping her out of her thoughts. Flustered and scolding herself, she gathered herself up the best she could, hurrying over to her bed to quickly dump her stuff down. Turning back to click her door shut and put the latch over, she sighed heavily, dreading the fact she now had to carry on her coursework alone. Looking down at her bag and the mess of books and papers on her bed, she pouted in thought, letting out her held breath by blowing a raspberry. Tapping her hands against her rosy cheeks, she decided paperwork could wait and choose to simply read instead given she had done very little at the library with the very welcomed distraction. 

Gathering up the loose papers and notepad, shimming them together into a neat pile for her desk, she dropped her bag to the floor and settled down on her bed after remove her heels, kicking them off the edge before crossing her legs as she sat in the middle of the mattress. It amused even her how big the book was as it sat in her lap, feeling as if she looked like something depicted in Alice in Wonderland, needing to have one hand always holding it upright. It didn’t take long for her to settle enough to become lost in the huge blocks of text, undeterred by the complexity, even if it wasn’t her usual go to material. It was interesting all the same, possibly more so due to him recommending it to her. With so much to read and remember, hours soon rolled by without her notice. It wasn’t until her phone rang making her jump that she realised how the time had flown by. 

Jolting at the abrupt sound in the silence of her small room, she nearly lost her place within the large pages, thankful her fingers hooked at the top to stop them flickering shut. Patting around her with her only free hand, she grew more and more frustrated, whining a little as she realised her phone must still be in her bag. Regretting that she hadn’t picked up a bookmark or even a piece of paper, she looked down at her book in defeat, closing it with a heavy heart before pushing it off of her lap. If it wasn’t for the fact she rarely had phone calls, usually only from her mother to check in once in a while, she would have let it ring out, knowing they’d ring back or text her. But this was different. If she let it ring out and ignored it, it’d give off the wrong idea.

Leaning forward off of the bed, laying on her belly, she fumbled around in her bag for her phone, cursing it be the one day it disappeared into the void rather than her pocket. Gasping aloud as she finally grabbed her phone, she accepted the call blindly, squeaking a little as she nearly tipped all the way off of her bed. “Hello?” she answered meekly, clearing her throat before speaking again. “Sorry, hello...that’s better.”

Smiling with a bit of concern as the rustling and squeaking settled into a greeting, Donnie traced circles onto the blanket that topped his bed. “Hello! Hearing your voice again is lovely, but did I catch you at a bad time? Oh, I’m so sorry, this is Donnie.” Pinching the bridge of his nose and screwing his eyes shut, he silently cursed himself for muddling up another perfectly good line and being awkward again.

“No! No, no, of course not, it’s wonderful to hear you again,” she answered from the other end, hastily at first, but seeming to make herself slow down to a normal conversational pace. “I was being… I mean, I lost track of time and my phone was buried, I almost didn’t get it in time.”

“Oh,” he answered, feeling relieved that he hadn’t bothered her, and bolstered by her giggle. “Well, try not to worry if you do miss it, I promise I’ll always leave a message, and you’re perfectly welcome to call me back if you like.”

“Of course I would.” Her voice was as bright and cheerful over the phone as it had been in person, and he was incredibly glad that he had decided to call. If things continued on well, he decided he would have to see how she felt about video calls, as he missed the way her gray eyes caught the colors and light around her. “So how was work?”

“It was good!” he answered cheerfully. Reclining back onto his bed and crossing his legs, he stared at the ceiling. “The kids were very receptive today, confident. It’s nice to see a few of them come out of their shells a little bit, especially knowing what it’s like to feel reclusive.”

“That is wonderful!” she replied, sounding earnestly happy, though it occurred only after that he had mentioned work but not explained it, so she had very little information to base her response on. “I think that there aren’t nearly enough adults out there encouraging the youth to be confident, you know? What is it that you do with them? Is it like one of those ‘Big Brother’ organizations?”

He couldn’t help but be amused at her choice of words, feeling that they were apt in a way she couldn’t have predicted. Not wanting her to mistake his mirth for derision, nor did he ever want a situation for her where she had to find out suddenly, he decided to be as open and honest as he could be with her. Within reason, of course. “Funny you word it that way; my family runs a dojo. My father started it, he trained my three brothers and me. He still does some of the more intricate classes, still teaches us, but for the most part he’s enlisted the four of us to teach the classes, giving each of us groups of kids that suit our particular teaching style. It was clever and intuitive of him, though I wouldn’t expect less.”

“A dojo?” she asked, sounding more interested than he had expected, but that seemed to be the norm for her. It was still catching him off guard; he was expecting the normal phase out due to lack of interest, but there she was, active and engaging every time the thought crossed his mind. “For martial arts? Is there a specific kind? Wow. I really wouldn’t have guessed you were. I mean, gosh, that sounds really bad, doesn’t it? I just mean us library types usually aren’t that way. You know what? I’m going to stop digging myself a hole, I think.”

He couldn’t help the grin on his face, he was fairly certain he’d never smiled so much in one day ever in his entire life. “No, I get what you mean, I’m not offended at all. Book nerds aren’t fighters, which I suppose if you saw my brothers, you might still think is more true. I’m definitely different, but we all are, in our own ways. I guess that’s why we end up doing pretty well with the kids, for the most part.”

“Brothers or not, I think you’re amazing,” she said, and he almost felt like he could feel the heat radiating off her blush through the phone. “You’re honestly the nicest, best person I’ve met here in the city.”

Burying his hand in his hair, he felt heat rising off his own cheeks. “Thank you, that means a lot coming from someone as sweet as you,” he admitted. He had no idea what it was about her that had him opening up so quickly, but he felt as insatiable as he did when he was on the cusp of a discovery or invention. He needed to know as much about her as he could. “But here I am, just completely talking about myself and being rude. How is the research going?"

“It’s not rude at all, I love listening to you talk,” she replied happily, her voice soft like the smile that never ceased as she cradled her phone against her ear. She almost didn’t want to move again, the rustling or just the effort of moving distracting her from the sound of his voice. “I mean, I was the one who asked.” 

Looking down at the book now closed beside her, she continued, “Uhm, well, it’s been okay. I haven’t done anymore paperwork... I just ended up reading the book you suggested and it’s been so insightful and helpful. So thank you!” 

“Well that’s good, then!” The mild relief in his voice nearly made her giggle, forcing her to bite her lip to stop it. She didn’t want him to feel uncomfortable around her, ever, by accident or not. The last thing she wanted was him to be scared away or feel too awkward to face her, especially now she already had hopes of meeting him again. “I hope it will aid you further in your research, interesting or not.”

“It’d be more interesting if you were reading it to me, I’m sure.” Silently gasping, placing her fingertips to her lips, she froze when she realised the words had escaped her lips, no longer a thought drifting in her mind. Listening carefully for his reaction, her stomach twisted at his pause. Fearing the worst, she stammered over her words quickly, “I-I mean, you were helpful earlier too a-and the book is just as interesting, y’know so...” 

“It’s okay, it’s okay!” he blurted out, sounding just as flustered for realising his lag in response. “I’ve just uh, I’ve never had anyone say that to me. It’s really flattering, honestly. Thank you.” 

Breathing a soft sigh of relief, she kept her hand up close to her face, almost as if she needed to hide herself. Even with the distance between them and talking to him over the phone, she felt just as bashful as if he was sat right next to her on her bed. That alone was a dangerous thought, something reminiscent of a Rom Com and ‘studying together’ and it made her heart pound in her chest to even reference it in her mind. Even with only pure and innocent thoughts, she found herself as flustered as a sinner in church.

“Okay, good. I didn’t want you feeling uncomfortable, that could have been too forward of me... but I do mean it when I say you are interesting, Donnie.” 

“If it means anything, I would happily read to you, if it helps you in anyway.” 

Feeling her smile return as quickly as it had disappeared in her discomposure, her mind easily pictured the idea, feeling warmth in her heart at the thought, even if it was embellished with her own romanticism. “I’d really like that, thank you... but only if you’re sure?”

“Absolutely,” he confirmed, feeling a bit shaky himself. It was as if he’d finally cracked, finally had that mental breakdown that Raph had been saying he would have since they were kids, and was entirely making her up out of his own imagination. Surely she couldn’t be that interested in him, to even want him to read? Shaking himself out of the thought stream, he rolled up to sitting, snagging his computer bag to pull out his laptop. “Let me just make sure I can access a digital copy. That is if you meant now?”

“Yes!” she chirped eagerly, though there was some jostling of the phone on her end again. “Unless you can’t find it, then maybe soon? I just figure the more I get done today, the less catching up I have to do.”

“I’m positive I can find it,” Donnie answered, dead set on doing so. If it helped her and made her happy, who was he to refuse? “Just give me a few to find it. I’m sure it’ll help with your note taking, not having to go back and forth from reading to writing. I know I hate getting behind on research, but it seems like I’m always playing catch up, anyway.”

It took him a moment to realize the pregnant pause on the line as he was busy searching for an online copy of the book, and it wasn’t until she spoke up hesitantly that he realized he’d stuffed his foot into his mouth again. “If you’re behind, you don’t need to waste your time reading something to me. I can just go back to reading, it’s really okay.”

There was something in her voice that made him feel like he’d just clubbed a baby seal, and he actually clutched at his chest when he realized how she had interpreted his rambling. “Oh no, I’m so sorry, that’s not what I meant at all! I was talking without thinking,” he apologized, hitting himself in the head with the base of his palm. “I don’t have anything I’m working on specifically at the moment, per se. I just have recreational projects that I work on with my spare time, and my perception is that I’m never as far along as I think I ought to be. I mostly use that time doing that, because outside of my family, I’m a bit of a hermit.”

“Oh,” she answered simply, her voice quiet, and he winced, chiding himself over and over.

“I cannot think of a better way to use my time than to help you,” he clarified more simply, and genuinely. “It’s truly an honor, and if it is helping you with class work, all the better. I honestly had no other plans than speaking to you this evening. I’ve been looking forward to it since I left you at the bus.”

“Oh,” she repeated, though her voice had more understanding and excitement. She giggled again, and her laughter eased the tightness in his chest, allowing him to breathe easily. “I think that’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.”

“If you give me the time and forgive my verbal blundering, there’s definitely more where that came from.” Slapping himself in the head for speaking without thinking it through again, he squinted his eyes shut. Something about her had him so beside himself, so utterly without reservations, and he already had something of a love/hate relationship with it. It was fascinating to feel that way, but he hated how he kept blurting things out. 

“You can have all the time you want, and I think it’s cute.” She sounded quiet and smitten, and the thought made him blush harder, causing him to giggle snort in response. “That is adorable!” she squeaked, erupting into laughter that sounded like an angel chorus. Her obvious delight in it was the only thing keeping him from throwing himself into the trashcan in embarrassment. 

“Heh, I’m glad you like it… it’s not always gone over so well, but I don’t seem to be able to stop.”

“Don’t you ever stop!” she commanded, or at least as much as she could in her tiny little voice and polite mannerisms. “It’s perfect.”

Once both their giggling died down, he pulled the book up to the chapter she said she was currently on, and they both settled in, her listening to him reading. Occasionally, she would ask intelligent, well thought out questions, which he only found more endearing. She truly was an anomaly. He lost all track of how long they’d been talking until there was a soft rap at his door, and Leo poking his head through the crack.

“You okay, Donnie? I heard talking… oh, you’re on the phone?”

Donnie sent a scathing glare over his laptop, one that immediately had his brother retracing his footsteps with his hands up in the air, apologizing. He looked shocked and surprised as he muttered quiet apologies, closing the door again. At the same time, he heard Lily yawn, and realized the hour. “Oh, you should’ve told me I’d gone on for so long. I completely lose track of time when I do these sorts of things, it’s a terrible habit.”

Fluttering her eyes back open after yawning, Lily shook off the sleep trying to wrap her up in it’s warmth. Realising she had ended up curled up in the throw from her bed, snuggled up and cosy after discarding her notepad and pen while she listened, her notes had only filled half of a page. Too distracted and comforted by the sound of his voice, she had eventually began to drift off, simple enjoying the company and time he was giving her. Cursing herself for doing so, although she wouldn’t have changed it for the world, she quickly jotted down the chapter and sections she’d need to revisit in her own time, alone and to study by herself. Donnie reading to her had helped, but had also been the best mistake she had ever made. Her mind wandered again, imagining what it’d be like to have him there with her, she squeaked at the idea of his fingers in her hair as he read to her, gentle and soft while she had her head in his lap. Slapping her cheeks with her hands gently to try and wake herself from the dreamy fantasy, she stuttered and stammered over herself before picking up her phone, switching it off from speaker to hold it against her ear again.

“No no no! No, it’s not that at all. I’ve been enjoying it, truly, it’s been such a help! I got a lot of notes made thanks to you.” Wincing at her own lie, peeking down at her rather empty notepad page, she chewed her lip as her cheeks flushed a deep red again. “I think it’s a wonderful habit to have, at least where I’m concerned… i-if I am! I mean… uhm... thank you.”

His airy and nervous chuckle made her smile brightly, wishing deep down she could have seen it with her own eyes and not have to imagine it, not that the image of it had left her mind since the cafe.   
“It’s been an absolute pleasure, and I’d be happy to do this again for you, if you request it of course.” 

“Awww, thank you. You’re such a wonderful person. I almost don’t feel deserving of it.” 

“You most certainly are! Never doubt that I’ll always make time for you, if you’d like my time that is.”

The butterflies in her stomach returned, her free hand scrunching together as she tried not to writhe around with glee on her bed, entirely sure she was dreaming and was still stuck at the library, imagining things while drifting off from boredom. It wouldn’t have been the first time.

“Of course! I’ll have to check my timetable, with exams coming up rather quickly now it might be difficult to find a decent break but I’m sure I can always find some time aside for you.”

“Oh exams, I’d be more than happy to help you - if I can - with preparing and studying for them, but I also don’t wish to distract or keep you from anything important.”

“No! I want you to help me, it’d really really help. You’ve already boosted my confidence with it a-and I’ve only know you a single day.” The heat in her cheeks was creeping through her body, making her need to remove the blanket from her shoulders and sit up away from her comfortable nest of pillows. The fact that they had become already so comfortable around each other, as if they had know each other for years, made her a little anxious. What if she was reading it wrong? What if he had other interests? What if it was just a one off and he wouldn’t contact her again? After all he had said he had other work, what if he became lost in that and forgot about her? It was selfish of her to want his attention all to herself, but she couldn’t help herself, couldn’t stop the idea in her mind. 

“As long as you’re sure?” 

“Entirely sure. Absolutely, one hundred percent. I’d be honoured to have your guidance.” Cutting herself off with another tiny yawn, she squeaked again and let out a meek whine, her exhaustion suddenly apparent as she struggled to keep herself upright. “Gosh, I’m so sorry I keep yawning... I should leave you to sleep, it is late. Sorry for stealing you away, but thank you again for reading to me.”

Every time he thought she couldn’t get cuter, she did, her sleepy sounds only making her that much more endearing. He almost felt bad for enjoying it, and wishing he could see how she looked when she was sleepy, knowing how tired she must be with her course load. “You’re more than welcome,” he answered, knowing he had to let her go to sleep even though he was finding it particularly difficult. “Get yourself tucked up into your bed nice and warm, I’ll talk to you again soon enough, alright? I sincerely enjoyed being ‘stolen away’.”

Her giggle was interrupted by another yawn, and rustling around. “Snug as a bug,” she replied, and if he thought really hard, he could almost imagine her disappearing under a large comforter, only her large eyes and red curls peeking out from under. “As long as there’s no pea under the mattress, I’m sure I’ll be out in no time.”

It took him the briefest of moments to get the reference, misinterpreting which kind of “pea” she had meant, but it was quick enough he figured she probably hadn’t noticed his pause and was glad he had thought before asking. “Sweet dreams then, princess,” he found himself replying, his expression gaping at ceiling at the audacity of it, and quickly trying to think of an appropriate apology if she sounded upset.

“Goodnight, handsome,” she tittered, there being a short pause on the line before the beep let him know she had hung up.

Looking at the phone for a long moment at her name and number until the screen went dark, he set it aside with his laptop and glasses carefully, contemplating the course his day had taken. Thinking of everything that had happened, how it had happened, examining all of it to make sure he wasn’t missing something. He was never that lucky with other people, easily the most reclusive of his brothers. Even Raph was more social than he was, at least person to person, and that was honestly saying something. Yet somehow he had met her, and hadn’t been… himself? Whatever it was that always seemed to bore others off, or make them feel awkward.

Part of him was incredibly concerned that it would sink in overnight, she’d wake up and wonder what on earth had gotten into her over the previous day, and he’d never get a reply from her again. Or she would answer, but always politely decline any other invitation to talk or spend time with him, and eventually he’d have to stop trying. After rubbing his eyes, he draped an arm over them, trying his best to remain logical and not emotional. Look at the facts, Donnie, he thought to himself. Lily had given off every social cue that she was enjoying herself and the time they shared. Even physiologically, things people had incredible difficulty faking. Right down to being relaxed enough listening to him to be tired, which could also have been boredom, but it didn’t at all seem like that. He had gotten quite good at noticing when people were bored, and nothing she had done raised any kind of red flag for him. Logically, he knew he’d just have to wait and see, but that particular part of him had never been patient; just letting things play out.

He knew he had to, though. That was how it worked, and for her, being patient wouldn’t be so bad. As long as he had her to look forward to. And such it was that Donnie, the one person who had always struggled with sleep and an overactive mind actually drifted off to sleep without realizing it, his mind full of giggles, red hair and freckles with smiles until he realized that he too, was relaxed enough to be tired. 

***


End file.
